A Thief's Story (Ashiel Relvin)

[Ashiel Relvin]

This is the begining of my journal. Yesterday a strange thing happend. Two men were walking around with a goblin ,me thinking it was an enemy I started to attack it. The two men started to yell stop stop. This goblin aparently had gotten lost and wanted to find other goblins. I felt horible for shooting it so I offered to help them. We eventualy found the other goblins and they formed a square around our goblin. Him and the leader of the goblin tribe started to fight. It seemed as if they were fighting for leadership. Well our goblin won. They went away into the trees and we thought it was the end but a few seconds later masive ammounts of goblins came out and started to attack us. So we attacked back but it cost us a life. He had tricked us. Luckely we had a cleric to heal him and bring him back. Then our goblin came and started to attack us. He was probably mad for us killing his whole tribe. I know I would be. So we had no option but to kill him. This was a wierd end to a strange story.

[Ashiel Relvin]

Dear Journal,
             I can’t stop thinking about one very important part of my past. When I got out of jail I felt so alone. I wandered for a long time until I got to a town by the name of Alber. There an old elven couple found me and took me in. They taught me how to use my skills to help and not to harm. They also treated me as there own child and taught me there native language of elven. I felt for the first time in my life that I belonged. This was the happiest I had ever felt. It lasted for about 9 years. Until one night I woke up to the sound of screaming. “Maybe it was just a dream," I thought but the screaming continued.  I threw the covers off of me and ran into the hall but I saw nothing. I went to where the old couple slept and the screaming grew louder and louder. When I got there I saw that the door was cracked and suddenly the screaming stopped. I peeked in and saw a man standing over the couples bloody and lifeless bodies. I stood there thinking about what I could do but the man turned and saw me. He started after me but I was not fast enough. He grabbed me and threw me into the wall. Then he started to kick me in the stomach. Thinking I was dead he left but before he did I saw that he had a tattoo of a shadow on his arm. After he left I tried to get up but I could not. I had to wait till morning to get my strength back. The next morning I got up slowly and stumbled into the old couple’s room. On the floor I saw there bodies. I walked over to them and started to sob. Right there and then I swore that I would find the man who did this and kill him. Taking on the elven couples last name (Relvin) and left in search for the man who did this. The only thing that is holding me back is my skills. They are not strong enough to do what I need to do. I need to find a way to enhance them. The man who did this will pay! As I was traveling I was summoned by a gold dragon to the town of Hlint. Thinking about what I was going to do, I finally decided to continue my search and someday hopefully find him. I still need to find the man who killed the only family I ever knew.    
                                            - Ashiel Relvin -

[Ashiel Relvin]

Dear Journal,
     I am starting to wonder if I will have to the strength to kill a man just out of vengeance. It’s been a year since my search began and my anger is leaving me. I still want to find the man who did this and let him know that I am alive and that I know what he did and make him live in fear for the rest of his life knowing that I have the power to kill him at any moment if I so desired. I am afraid of what I might become If I let my anger take over me. I have been talking to Remy about my past and my search for the murderer. I also aided him in his search for his mother and saw how anger can be so destructive. I need to get stronger not to kill but to find.   
                         -Ashiel-

[Ashiel Relvin]

I am learning more and more about something called Shadow dancing.  While helping one of my friends, Remy, find information about his mother I encountered a troop of gypsies.  Their leader had almost mystical powers of illusion and the ability to disapear even when I was staring straight at him.  Some of the performers could manipulate the shadows into fantastic illusions.  For some time now I have felt the draw of the shadows and the night but did not understand it.  I think these abilities could assist me in my quest to find the murderer of of my step parents.  These powers may even hold the secret to a way of holding power over him without killing him once I have found him.  Fear of shadows is almost universal.  I have liveed in fear of him and his kind for long enough.  Perhaps it is time he lived in fear of the unknown.  I must persue this skill.  I will speak to Remy more about this.

[Ashiel Relvin]

I have spoken to Remy.  He has shared some of what he has found out about the path to these Shadow Dancing skills.  He is not yet ready to persue it but I think I am.  I think I will seek out the leader of the tarveling band of gypsies and see if he will show me how to begin.  He was most impressive.  The main thing that keeps coming up in the back of my mind is that I must avoid the lure of darker side of these skills.  Just as I have learned to use my rogue skills for good I must remind myself of the balance of light and dark that must exist in the shadows.  I think it was Rawkwin that said, "Without light there can be no shadow."  I must be the light and use the shadows.

[Ashiel Relvin]

this is going to be my last journal entry. I Finaly found out the whereabouts of the man who killed my family and I am going after him. I am leaving this journal behind so that people will remamber me. Well I am off. *winks* bye *waves*

[Ashiel Relvin]

Dear Journal,
  I thought the last entry would be my last entry but I was wrong.  

I left to go and find the ma who lilled my family and I am glad to note that I did find him.  When I started my search I only knew two facts.  First, he had a tatoo of a shadow on his arm and Second, that enjoyed killing.  When I first left Hlint I travelled  Mistone and most of Dregar with little progress in the search.  I finally made my way to the Serpent Isles, Diego to be specific.  There I met a young man who told me he knew where a group of men, who were shadow dancers and had tatoos of shadows on their arms, were staying.  I asked him if he would draw up a map so I could travel there.  When I reached the location he indicated there was no sign of any people.  Only a dense forest.  I entered the forest and located a camp in a remote clearing.  After about a month of watching them from the forest, I finally spotted the man who had attacked and killed my family.  I wanted to kill him on the spot but refrained since the act would have only led to my death.  After a night of sleep, I went to look for him again. This time when I saw him, he spotted me too.  I tried to run but when I looked behind me he was gone.  I turn to continue and found him right in front of me.  I thought to myself, "How did he do that?"  I thought I was dead for sure but he did not kill me.  He tied my hands and put a hood over my head and led me back to the camp.  All the other men in the camp came out to see what the comotion was about.  I could hear their whispers.  He stopped and threw me to the ground and removed my hood.  He started talking to one of the men that I later learnded was the leader.  "My Lord," he said, "I have brought you a gift.  I discovered her spying on our camp.  Should I kill her.  It would give me such pleasure."  The leader thought for a moment and said, "Do what you want with her."  Knowing I was about to die, I pleaded for my life.  "Lord please spare me.  I see that you only have men here.  They are strong yes, but stupid.  Imagine what use a woman could be in your profession.  She can get close to a man, make him trust her and then take what she wants.  If you let me live I could do this for you."  As he laughed he said, "You're right, you could be of use to me."  He smiled and touched my cheek.  I pulled away and he just laughed.  "I like her," he said.

[Ashiel Relvin]

I must finish recording my thoughts about the time since I left Hlint before the details fade.

After accepting my service the leader assigned the man that killed my parents to be my trainer in the ways of the shadows.  I was lucky that he did not recognize exactly who I was.  It was so ironic that before I left Hlint I was contemplating becoming a shadowdancer to learn the skills needed to kill this man and now he was going to teach me himself.  Men are so easily manipulated.  I was so driven to learn from him both becasue he was one of the best and also because it gave me a great opportunity to study him for weaknesses.  About a year of training passed and the he suddenly became very ill.  I took this as an opportunity to make my move.  I went into hisa tent and grabbed his very own knife.  He was sleeping very heavily.  I stood silently over him for what seemed like a long time.  Could I really do this?  As I stood there hesitating to plunge the knife in his heart, he reached up and grabbed my arm.  He looked me right in the eye.  He said, "Now I remember where I have seen you before."  My heart sank.  "You were that little whelp that I left behind when I killed your parents.  Why did you hesitate?  Why didn't you just kill me?"  With anger welling up in me I said, "Because that would make me no better than you."  He coughed and said, "You don't truly know me, although you know me better now that we have spent time together.  I am about to die and it is important that you understand that I do regret the pain that I have caused you.  You of all people should understand what it takes to survive in this business.  There is something else I need to tell you.  The others have watched you train and have grown jealous.  They plan on killing you soon.  You need to leave or you will be killed.  I will help you get free tonight.  Perhaps it will in some way atone for the pain I have caused you.  Meet me in the middle of the forest at midnight."  I met him there, just as he asked.  I could tell he was about to die.  He could barely walk.  Suddenly I realized that I no longer felt hatred for this man but pity.  He motioned me over to him.  "Good," he said, "I knew you could make it.  You are an excellent student.  Now you need to run and not look back."  As he spoke he fell to the ground.  I knelt down and cupped his head in my lap.  He died in my arms.  With his dying words he told me to get away and have a good life and to use my skills for good so that I would not have the regrets that he did.  I got up and began running not knowing what to think about my new found emotions for this man that I had hated for so long.  I am still not sure what to think about all of this but I know I am safe now.  I need to get some sleep.  I will think more on this tomorrow.

*closes her journal*

[Ashiel Relvin]

*leaning up against a tree she starts to write*

Dear Journal,

I feel so lost...my whole world is falling appart. I can't help but feel that I am all alone in this world. I know that I will not be safe anythere I go. I don't even think that anyone will be able to protect me. the men that I fled from are still after me...I fear that the only thing I am doing by running has just postponed the enevitable. They hunt me as if I am an animal. I have been fortunate that they have not found me yet, but I can feel them ever drawing closer. The one man I trusted died..helping me flee their evil grasp. I can only hope that I will not have made his death be in vane. I have not tusted anyone since his death....accept one...Kinson. I am fearful that I have just killed him by letting him know who I am. These men are the worst of the worst. They will kill anyone that they see as a threat. I wish I did not have to hide myself any longer. I see people walking through the streets with no worries or cares. They seem so free and here I am hidding. I am a prisoner. I need to keep trying to improve my skills in Shadowdancing so that I can know what that are planning...being like them is the only way I can defeat them. The shadows...they keep me hidden and they are my eyes and ears.  

[Ashiel Relvin]

*finding a quiet place and sitting down she starts to write*
Dear journal,
It has been a while since I have writen in here....Where to start?
Well first off I have been training realy hard lately. Ever since I have gotten back from taining with the gypsies, I have been able to think about nothing else. Thinking only of getting stronger and becoming one with the shadows. Kinson was realy sad when I had to leave for a few months to go and train with the gypsies.  When I came back he was so happy to see me but my feelings for him had changed.  I could not understand why.  There was a bad feeling inside of me whenever he touched me, like I was doing something wrong by being with him.  I ignored these feelings for a long time thinking that I was just scared and that they would just go away.  This went on for while but my past soon cought up to me......again.  I had to run and I had to leave fast. I did not have time to tell Kinson that I had to go so I sent him a letter telling him that I would be gone for a little bit and I would be back as soon as I could.  I guess that was not good enough for him.....or maybe he got tired of dealing with me and my stupid past. *sighs*  Well I'm sorry but I can't help having the past that I do. It's not like I chose it.  Well when I got back he was acting strange.  I knew he was hiding something.  Come on you can't hide anything from me....I have enough of my own secrets to be able to tell when someone else has one.  I tried to act like nothing was wrong.
(memo to self.....if you feel like something is wrong there most likely is)  Then I saw her.  I could tell by the way they looked at each other.  I wanted to know who she was so I got to know her a little better and she is so kind....she can not speak common and her name is Auuumi. I realy like her and I am happy for her.  I just wish they did not try to hide it from me.  Kinson tried to act like she did not matter but I knew better.  I could see right through his act.  He has moved on and I am just another girl on his list.  I hope he treats Auuumi with respect because if he hurts her he will have me to deal with and trust me he does not want that.
*sighs* Well I am alone again.  Another bad ending.  Will I ever get a good ending?  Ever?
There are no good and honest men left any more. Well let me correct myself, there is one that I know of and his name is Rawkwin. *smiles as she writes his name* he has never hurt me and only shows me kindness even when I do not deserve it. I have to say Emerald is a very lucky woman.
*smiles as she shuts her journal*